Introduction
For my first blog post, I chose a subject that we rarely worry about in everyday programming, but that, at some point, will make all the difference, especially to reduce bottlenecks in an application. Yes, let's talk about memory allocation, more specifically about how heap and stack memory work.
I promise to explain these concepts in a simple way. Heap and stack are two distinct areas of a process's memory layout in the operating system. In short, in a very simplified way, they are different "areas" of your computer's memory, each with a specific function and storing different types of data.
Stack
The stack is basically a consecutive block of memory, whose allocation and release are automatic. It operates in the format LIFO (last-in-first-out), which means that the last element inserted is the first to be removed. When a function's execution scope ends, the associated stack frame is automatically freed, avoiding problems like memory leaks (unless you insert an infinite loop or something similar).
In addition, access to the stack is faster because the data is stored sequentially, which makes reading and writing easier. However, it has limitations in terms of size and is intended for temporary data, such as local variables and function parameters.
Heap
The heap, on the other hand, is an area of ??memory dedicated to the allocation of dynamic data. It is managed by the garbage collector (in the case of languages ??like Go). Unlike the stack, the heap is a space shared between threads or goroutines and is used to store long-running data.
Heap management is more complex because it requires the garbage collector to monitor the allocated data and identify which is no longer needed. Furthermore, data on the heap may be randomly scattered in RAM, making access slower.
How to best use the stack and heap
In terms of performance, the ideal is to use the stack as much as possible. Because it is more efficient and does not burden the garbage collector, the stack should be the first choice. When it is necessary to use the heap, it is important to do so in an intelligent and minimized way, as when using buffers.
In the case of Go, the compiler allocates local variables on the stack whenever possible. However, if the compiler identifies that the variable can be referenced after the function returns, it will allocate it on the heap to avoid dangling pointer errors. Very large variables can also be moved to the heap to avoid compromising limited stack space.
If a variable has its address accessed, it is a candidate to be allocated on the heap. However, more sophisticated analyzes performed by the compiler may allow some of these variables to remain on the stack, as long as they do not survive the function's return.
How to reduce the burden of the garbage collector?
To minimize the impact of the garbage collector, we can adopt the following practices:
- Avoid using pointers unnecessarily: Data referenced by pointers are allocated on the heap and can be spread across memory in a disorganized way. Use pointers only when really necessary.
- Prefer primitive types: Data such as numbers, booleans, strings and runes are generally allocated on the stack, reducing the need for management by the garbage collector.
- Optimize heap usage: Whenever possible, use structures that minimize dynamic allocations and focus on reusing already allocated resources, such as buffers and object pools.
- Make the most of the stack: Temporary or local variables should be allocated to the stack whenever possible, ensuring greater efficiency and performance.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between heap and stack, as well as memory management in Go, is fundamental to optimizing the performance of your applications. By using the stack whenever possible and being careful with your use of pointers, you can significantly reduce the load on the garbage collector, resulting in faster, more efficient programs. Over time, these practices will contribute to building more scalable and better performing systems.
The above is the detailed content of Understanding Heap and Stack in Memory Management. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Golang is mainly used for back-end development, but it can also play an indirect role in the front-end field. Its design goals focus on high-performance, concurrent processing and system-level programming, and are suitable for building back-end applications such as API servers, microservices, distributed systems, database operations and CLI tools. Although Golang is not the mainstream language for web front-end, it can be compiled into JavaScript through GopherJS, run on WebAssembly through TinyGo, or generate HTML pages with a template engine to participate in front-end development. However, modern front-end development still needs to rely on JavaScript/TypeScript and its ecosystem. Therefore, Golang is more suitable for the technology stack selection with high-performance backend as the core.

To build a GraphQLAPI in Go, it is recommended to use the gqlgen library to improve development efficiency. 1. First select the appropriate library, such as gqlgen, which supports automatic code generation based on schema; 2. Then define GraphQLschema, describe the API structure and query portal, such as defining Post types and query methods; 3. Then initialize the project and generate basic code to implement business logic in resolver; 4. Finally, connect GraphQLhandler to HTTPserver and test the API through the built-in Playground. Notes include field naming specifications, error handling, performance optimization and security settings to ensure project maintenance

The key to installing Go is to select the correct version, configure environment variables, and verify the installation. 1. Go to the official website to download the installation package of the corresponding system. Windows uses .msi files, macOS uses .pkg files, Linux uses .tar.gz files and unzip them to /usr/local directory; 2. Configure environment variables, edit ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc in Linux/macOS to add PATH and GOPATH, and Windows set PATH to Go in the system properties; 3. Use the government command to verify the installation, and run the test program hello.go to confirm that the compilation and execution are normal. PATH settings and loops throughout the process

sync.WaitGroup is used to wait for a group of goroutines to complete the task. Its core is to work together through three methods: Add, Done, and Wait. 1.Add(n) Set the number of goroutines to wait; 2.Done() is called at the end of each goroutine, and the count is reduced by one; 3.Wait() blocks the main coroutine until all tasks are completed. When using it, please note: Add should be called outside the goroutine, avoid duplicate Wait, and be sure to ensure that Don is called. It is recommended to use it with defer. It is common in concurrent crawling of web pages, batch data processing and other scenarios, and can effectively control the concurrency process.

Using Go's embed package can easily embed static resources into binary, suitable for web services to package HTML, CSS, pictures and other files. 1. Declare the embedded resource to add //go:embed comment before the variable, such as embedding a single file hello.txt; 2. It can be embedded in the entire directory such as static/*, and realize multi-file packaging through embed.FS; 3. It is recommended to switch the disk loading mode through buildtag or environment variables to improve efficiency; 4. Pay attention to path accuracy, file size limitations and read-only characteristics of embedded resources. Rational use of embed can simplify deployment and optimize project structure.

The core of audio and video processing lies in understanding the basic process and optimization methods. 1. The basic process includes acquisition, encoding, transmission, decoding and playback, and each link has technical difficulties; 2. Common problems such as audio and video aberration, lag delay, sound noise, blurred picture, etc. can be solved through synchronous adjustment, coding optimization, noise reduction module, parameter adjustment, etc.; 3. It is recommended to use FFmpeg, OpenCV, WebRTC, GStreamer and other tools to achieve functions; 4. In terms of performance management, we should pay attention to hardware acceleration, reasonable setting of resolution frame rates, control concurrency and memory leakage problems. Mastering these key points will help improve development efficiency and user experience.

It is not difficult to build a web server written in Go. The core lies in using the net/http package to implement basic services. 1. Use net/http to start the simplest server: register processing functions and listen to ports through a few lines of code; 2. Routing management: Use ServeMux to organize multiple interface paths for easy structured management; 3. Common practices: group routing by functional modules, and use third-party libraries to support complex matching; 4. Static file service: provide HTML, CSS and JS files through http.FileServer; 5. Performance and security: enable HTTPS, limit the size of the request body, and set timeout to improve security and performance. After mastering these key points, it will be easier to expand functionality.

The purpose of select plus default is to allow select to perform default behavior when no other branches are ready to avoid program blocking. 1. When receiving data from the channel without blocking, if the channel is empty, it will directly enter the default branch; 2. In combination with time. After or ticker, try to send data regularly. If the channel is full, it will not block and skip; 3. Prevent deadlocks, avoid program stuck when uncertain whether the channel is closed; when using it, please note that the default branch will be executed immediately and cannot be abused, and default and case are mutually exclusive and will not be executed at the same time.
